Edson Buddle at Rapids practice in Commerce City this week. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids’ Edson Buddle is one of the more engaging, open soccer players I’ve dealt with, especially since he has survived the media rigors of Europe (although second division), the World Cup and the L.A. Galaxy. My Thursday story on him didn’t include a disturbing anecdote.

In light of the racism that is sweeping across European soccer, I asked him if he ever experienced any incidents while with Ingolstadt 04, the Bundesliga 2 team in Germany where he spent 2011-12. Matter of factly, he said yes.

Just when it seemed things could not get any worse for Stan Kroenke’s other soccer team, they got worse.

Arsenal was eliminated from the FA Cup Saturday, losing to Sunderland 2-0, at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

Now, there’s no shame in losing to Sunderland at their home, they have been very good all year and are in ninth in the Premier League. Arsenal needed a last second goal to beat them 2-1 in that league back on Feb. 11.

But that was the last goal Arsenal have scored in 180 minutes of soccer. Today’s shutout follows a 4-0 pasting by A.C. Milan in the UEFA Champions League, which all but eliminated the Gunners from that tournament too. Fan anger, directed mostly at manager Arsene Wenger, has now spilled over to Kroenke, who has been accused of failing to spend enough money to right the ship.